MICHAEL O Riordan uses a short sentence to describe his memory of the Spanish Civil War: The horrors and the hunger. He celebrated two birthdays in Barcelona, his 21st as a soldier and his 79th as a veteran.
Displaying a row of medals on his suit, Mr O Riordan was one of four of the remaining five Irish veterans from the Spanish Civil War received at the Mansion House in Dublin yesterday.
He said the reception, hosted by the Lord Mayor, Mr Brendan Lynch, was a fitting tribute almost 60 years after the 85 Irish soldiers of the International Brigade returned to Dublin.
Mr Lynch said 59 members of the brigade died in action 16 of them Irish. He welcomed the veterans and their families and read a poem by Donagh McDonagh dedicated to all the brave men who died to defend freedom in the olive groves of Spain.
Asked why he volunteered to fight in another man's war, Mr O'Riordan said there were two reasons: Like a good trade unionist, an injury to one is the concern of another. And the second was to redeem the good name of Ireland."
Last November the five Irish, veterans were given Spanish citizenship.
